Q.  What is a CASA Volunteer? 

A Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Volunteer is a trained citizen who is appointed by a judge to present the best interests of a child in court.  Children helped by CASA Volunteer include those for whom some placement is being determined in Juvenile Court.  Most of the children are victims of abuse and neglect.


Q.  What do I need to do to become a CASA volunteer?

All potential volunteers much complete a thorough screening and background check before they can be sworn into the court as a Court Appointed Special Advocate.This includes:

• A volunteer application packet
• A criminal background check
• Personal & Professional reference checks
• An interview with a program staff member and/or CASA Trainer
• 10 week screening process
• Current drivers license
• Current auto insurance
• All volunteers must be a minimum of 21 years of age

Q.  What is involved with the training?

CASA Volunteers must complete a forty hour training class to be sworn into the CASA program as an "Officer of the Court".  If a class will be missed by a volunteer a make up time must be scheduled with the CASA Program Coordinator/Trainer.  The Trainer/Program Coordinator will make every effort to schedule a time that is convenient for the volunteer as we are aware that volunteers tend to be very busy people. 

• 40 hour training class
• A minimum of 3 court hearings must be attended and observed as a vital part of the training
  
• A limited amount of homework will be assigned to the volunteers during training
• Volunteers will be responsible for writing a complete court report on a mock case provided during training
• It is required that volunteers be "Sworn In" to the court by the Circuit Court Judge

 
Q.  What are my responsibilities after training and what is all required to being a "real" CASA volunteer?

Under the guidance and supervision of the CASA Case Manager CASA volunteers will perform the following tasks associated with having "party" status in a Child in Need of Services case as a Court Appointed Special Advocate. 

• Engage in an independent and objective fact finding with the intent of serving the best interest and safety of the child(ren) assigned to the individual CASA.
• Review documents and interview the child, parents, Family Case Manager, teachers, service providers and all others pertinent to the case.
• Have regular contact with the child that includes at least contact with the child in-person weekly.
• Collaborate with all parties in the case (child, parents, attorneys, and DCS), also with non-party persons, to include, but not limited to; schools, physicians, mental health providers, and local police to advocate for the best interest and safety of child(ren) in the case.
• Insure that the educational needs of the child(ren) are being addressed by the system and to ensure that the child is not falling behind during the highly stressful time of court hearings, foster placements, institutional placements, and insecurities about their future. 
  
• Prepare for the court an approved court report to become part of the court record.  This report must contain factual and objective information for the purpose of making recommendations to the court for the educational, medical, mental, social, material and othe needs of the child (ren). 
  
• The CASA volunteer will attend all hearings, permanency plan hearings, and case plan meetings for their assigned case with supervision by the CASA Case Manager to advocate for the best interest and safety of the child. 
  
• Promptly provide the CASA Case Manager, who will inform the court, of important developments of the case. 
  

Q.  What is the CASA Volunteer's role?

A CASA Volunteer provides a judge with carefully researched background of the child to help the court make a sound decision about the child's future.  Each home placement case is as unique as the child involved.  The CASA Volunteer must determine if it is in a child's best interest to stay with his or her parents or guardians, be placed in foster care, or be freed for permanent adoption.  The CASA Volunteer makes a recommendation on placement to the judge, and follows through on the case until it is permanently resolved.


Q.  Is there a "typical" CASA Volunteer?

CASA Volunteers come from all walks of life, with a variety of professional, educational and ethnic backgrounds.  There are more than 38,000 CASA Volunteers nationally.  Local programs vary in number of volunteers they utilize.  Aside from their CASA Volunteer work, 52% are employed in regular full-time jobs; the majority tend to be professionals.  82% of the volunteers nationwide are women, 18% are men. 


Q.  How does the CASA Volunteer relate to the child he/she represents?

CASA Volunteers offer children trust and advocacy during complex legal proceedings.  They explain to the child the events that are happening, the reasons they all are in court, and the roles the judge, lawyers and social workers play.  CASA Volunteers also encourage the child to express his or her own opinion and hopes while remaining objective observers.

Q.  How does a CASA investigate a case? 

To prepare a recommendation, the CASA Volunteer talks with the child, parents, family members, social workers, school officials, health providers and others who are knowledgeable about the child's history.  The CASA Volunteer also reviews all records pertaining to the child - school, medical and caseworker reports, and other documents. 

Q.  What children are assigned CASA Volunteers?

Children who are victims of abuse and neglect that have become wards of the court are assigned CASA Volunteers.  The program is most common in juvenile and family court cases. 

Q.  Are there other agencies or groups that provide the same service?

No.  There are other child advocacy organizations, but CASA is the only program where Volunteers are appointed by the court to represent a child's best interest. 

Q.  How effective have CASA Programs been?

Preliminary findings show that children who have been assigned CASA Volunteers tend to spend less time in court and less time within the foster care system than those who do not have CASA representation.  Judges have observed that CASA children also have better chances of finding permanent homes than non-CASA children.